1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image transmitting system, image transmitting method and storage medium, and in particular to a computer executable program stored on computer readable recording medium for transmitting image data from a remote image server to a display terminal via a network according to the image transmitting method of the present invention.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are in use in the medical field today apparatus (modalities) for forming X-ray and other diagnostic images used in a variety of diagnosis, including CR (computed Radiography) apparatus, CT (Computerized Tomography) apparatus, MRI (Medical Resonance Imagery) apparatus, etc. The image data produced in each modality is displayed on a CRT terminal (hereinafter referred to simply as a CRT), or output by a laser printer, etc. to film, etc. for use by a reader at a medical treatment site in ascertaining the presence or absence of a disease, tissue damage, etc.
In addition, recent advances in computer and communications technology have seen the deployment of medical network systems (hereinafter referred to simply as networks) in hospitals and other facilities. Therefore, whereas in the past the aforementioned modalities were used only on a stand-alone basis, now they are connected to a network as image input apparatus, and CRTs, laser printers, etc., as image output apparatus.
Aside from aforementioned image input and output apparatus, also connected to such a network is an image server equipped with recording means for recording image data output by the image output devices, as it is, or after it has been subjected to a predetermined data-compression process, to a storage medium such as a hard disk, a RAID (Random Array of Inexpensive Disks), an optical disk: CD-R, DVD, DLT (Digital Linear Tape); etc. Image data input to such an image server is temporarily recorded on a high output-speed temporary storage medium such as a hard disk or a RAID, and after the specified conditions have been satisfied (such as the passage of a predetermined period of several weeks to several months after a doctor has completed diagnosis employing an image), the image data is compressed and recorded on a recording medium such as an optical disk, etc. (archive), for semi-permanent storage. Furthermore, data management of image data thus stored in the image server, such as transferring image data from a temporary storage medium to an archive, etc. is conducted by a database.
In such a network, predetermined image data is transmitted from the image server to a workstation connected to the network in response to a request from the workstation. In addition, not only the internal network of a hospital, but also a computer at a doctors residence, for example, can be connected via a communications circuit such as a telephone line to enable image data to be read out from the image server in order to carry out so-called remote diagnosis (teleradiology).
However, compared to the dedicated lines composing the internal hospital network, data transmitted over aforementioned communications circuits is transmitted at a slower rate, and therefore the time required for downloading image data is longer. In order to improve transmitting efficiency of diagnostic images to be utilized for remote diagnosis, it is proposed to provide for transmission of image data that has been determined in advanced to be the desired image data and which has been subjected to a comparatively high-rate data-compression process, and to provide notification upon completion of transmission, using the so-called push-style.
Transmission of image data in remote diagnosis as described above is performed in response to the issuance of a request by a Doctor A, and after the image data has been transmitted, the same image data exists on both the doctor's computer and the image server. Under such circumstances, for cases in which transmitted image data is to be compared to other image data (image data taken in the past, for example), or when another, different image data is to be transmitted, a software application is required to keep track of what image data has been transmitted to a doctors computer, and manage the transmission of image data so as to prevent retransmission of image data that already exists in the doctors computer, etc. However, because a high degree of complexity is required in a software application for managing transmission of image data, development of such an application program would require a large amount of time and effort.
On the other hand, when performing remote diagnosis it is also possible for a doctor to access the image server from his or her computer, and download and view the required images. However, when accessing the server to examine image data, because the doctor must first find the desired image data, the efficiency of diagnosis is reduced and longer connection times are required.